Defending champion Kyren Wilson has become the latest victim of the infamous 'Crucible curse' - the historic trend where no first-time winner has ever successfully defended their title in Sheffield.
Wilson suffered a heart-stopping 10–9 defeat at the hands of 21-year-old debutant Lei Peifan.
Wilson, who has been relentless on the tour this season, may have run out of steam when it mattered most, with Ronnie O’Sullivan suggesting that his punishing schedule was a contributing factor to the upset.
Wilson wasn’t the only big name to fall early.
Former champion Neil Robertson was edged out 10–8 by Chris Wakelin in another tense clash, while Barry Hawkins was narrowly beaten 10–9 by Hossein Vafaei.
Meanwhile, last year's runner-up Jak Jones struggled to find his form and suffered a heavy 10–4 defeat against the brilliant Zhao Xintong, signalling the arrival of a new wave of talent eager to make their mark.
Ronnie returns to the Crucible
Attention now turns to Ronnie O'Sullivan, who begins his quest for a record eighth world title today.
He faces long-time rival Ali Carter in a match that promises tension, history, and drama.
Despite a relatively quiet season in terms of appearances, O’Sullivan insists he’s ready to peak at the right time and will no doubt command the Crucible spotlight once again.
Ranked 18th in the world, the 45-year-old Englishman was the highest-ranked player to progress through qualifying as he bids for an eighth world title.
The 49-year-old has not played a competitive match since snapping his cue at the Championship League in January.
Elsewhere, Shaun Murphy takes on Daniel Wells, while Judd Trump faces a tricky test against Zhou Yuelong.
Mark Selby will meet Ben Woollaston, and 2023 champion Luca Brecel will face Ryan Day, with all first-round matches scheduled across the next two days.
Emotional Higgins wins
Four-time world champion John Higgins overcame Joe O'Connor 10–7 in a tense and emotionally charged first-round match at the World Snooker Championship on Monday evening.
Turning 50 next month, Higgins fought back from a 5–4 deficit after the first session on Monday morning.
Despite struggling to find his top scoring form - with only one break over 50, a brilliant century in the 12th frame - the Scot managed to edge ahead 7–6 by the mid-session interval.
The match remained finely balanced as O'Connor pushed him all the way, but a scrappy 15th frame proved decisive. O'Connor missed several opportunities to level the tie, allowing Higgins to move 8–7 in front.
From there, the veteran pulled clear, compiling a superb 114 break before finishing the match off with another composed half-century.
Higgins entered this year’s championship among the favourites after winning the World Open - where he also defeated O'Connor in the final - and impressively overcoming Mark Selby to claim the Tour Championship title.
However, his preparations were overshadowed by a personal setback, as his father-in-law became seriously ill just before the tournament began.
Speaking to BBC Sport after his victory, a visibly emotional Higgins opened up about the toll recent events had taken on him.
"I left the apartment earlier, and I was in tears," he admitted.
"It’s the most emotional I’ve ever been before a match. My father-in-law hasn’t been doing well, and it’s been tough.
"Last night I was sitting at dinner with my son and just kept thinking about sitting here with my dad 25 years ago. I was absolutely drained."
Higgins said he struggled for sleep ahead of the evening session but felt rejuvenated when he returned to the table. "I only managed a couple of hours’ rest, but tonight I felt a lot better and played a lot better. I’m just so proud that I’m still competing at this level at my age."
The 33-time ranking event winner will face China's Xiao Guodong in the second round as he continues his bid for a fifth Crucible crown.